Peggy -- live donor

[Guest guest]

22 shouldn't have anything to do with anything. Her ability to make

an informed, unbiased decision, however, is important.

Based on the persuasion research literature, So how is this done

ethically? Simply informing someone of all the potential risks

involved -- all of the things he or she will lose or could lose, what

could go wrong, the likelihoods, etc -- this info is not enough. This

type of information tends to lead ironically to increased risk taking

behavior.

Similarly, focusing on all the positives and ignoring the negatives

leads to poorly informed consent.

Need to get a balance here -- choose the words to describe her

descire to be a donor quite well --- instead of saying there is a XX%

chance of major complication, but I still want to do it. SAy: There

is a XX% that this will be succssful for the recipient and DD% that

I'll have no major complications.

I'm kind of in my post-Ambien babbling here. I did want to say that

if your potential donor is committed, more power to her. She'll find

a way -- use patience. Other centers if necessary. At the same time,

I'm very aware of how the program works at SLU. The potential donor

may opt out at any time in the process (as it should be). At SLU, one

of the mechanisms to get out is to tell a doctor any one on the team

that you want out, they will then veto you for some bogus reason so

that you, the donor, aren't seen as the bad guy.

In your case, it sounds more like one personal opinion is in the way -

- I'd bring the dispute to the rest of the team. (PS most

interdisplinary team meetings are done without patients present, but

most are willing to bring them into the meeting,. I've been on the

staff side of that where one of my clients was before the whole

clinical staff in a psychiatric hospital -- face to face can be quite

powerful.

PSC '94. Listed for Tx since 6/03, though labs & sx improved since

then. Live donor on standby if and when sx return.

Age 30, married 9 years, 3 children (8,4,1). PhD candidate, clinical

psychology. Hobby: Singer (w/ master's in opera) and church choir

director.